Submeter Meters

Submetering is typically used by property managers who own apartments or condominiums. Any multi-tenant property requires the use of utility meters or submeters so that individual tenants can be billed for their utility usage. Submeter Meters are also used in mobile home parks so that each resident gets a bill only for their individual power consumption. This makes it easy to bill each person for their use and helps residents to be more mindful about wasting energy.

In many instances, the local utility company will provide metering services, but there are cases where they put this burden on the property owner. These include:

Poor access to meters

Transient occupants

Service address beyond the utility company’s easement

Excessive customer complaints

When submeters are used, the property owner is sent a bill for the total amount of utility services consumed that month. Using the submeter for each apartment or office, the owner can now bill each person individually. Typically, the property owner adds service fees to the total cost of the utility charge to cover his own time and trouble at sorting out the charges.

Submeters are available for gas, electric and water connections. With the help of Cloud technology, the data for each meter, along with billing management is greatly simplified. It’s easy to keep track of the charges for each unit, mobile home or apartment. There are also a number of software programs that can be integrated into submeter devices. These programs can track usage, monitor leaks, control when a utility is turned on and off, and notify you of utility thefts. You can choose your favorite billing program to use with these meters, making it easier for your accounting staff to do their job.

There are many types of submeter meters; cheaper brands may not offer the same accuracy as name brands. The accuracy of the measurements of utility services used is very important to both tenants and property owners. Therefore, purchasing a better quality submeter is advised. There will be fewer errors and complaints from tenants. Most meters have an easy-to-read digital display. The use of Submeter meters is regulated by local and state guidelines.

Revenue Meters

Revenue Meters are also known as submeter meters and they provide much the same services. They are used by property owners and landlords who wish to bill each tenant separately but individual meters have not been provided by the local electric company. There are a number of situations where the electric company cannot or will not provide an electric meter and monthly billing services to tenants.

Property owners often have very specific needs for billing tenants for individual power consumption. In these cases, a revenue meter is a good solution. If your home has a small cottage out back or a garage apartment that you wish to rent out, then a revenue meter will keep track of the watt hours used by the resident so they can be billed for them. These types of meters are typically very accurate.

Miscellaneous Uses for Revenue Meters

You might also want to rent out a room in your home, charging the correct amount for any electricity used. Installing a revenue meter that monitors a specific circuitry can give you a way to do this. Sometimes these meters are used for simply auditing the energy usage in your home or office. With a meter like this, you can tell who or what is using the most power. This can help to guide the homeowner in ways to cut back on power consumption and save on their electric bill.

One of the best features of the revenue meter is its ability to be configured by the user. You can create a user defined calendar and schedule to determine the watts used within any time period. Generally speaking, when people see exactly how much energy they’re using and when their power consumption is greatest, they will find ways to cut back and save. This is good for the consumer and for the environment.

Revenue meters can be used to monitor and report on water and gas consumption as well. Some suppliers of these units also offer software programs that let you view usage records and automatically send a bill to whomever you please.